Communication between a calling party and a called party may be established over a communication network. Such a communication network may include a plurality of network switches that transport data in one of a variety of data transport protocols. For example, the data transport protocol may be frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), IP (internet protocol), where frame relay includes a plurality of subset protocols. Some network switches provide for a conversion between frame relays protocols and ATM protocols. Such transformation is known as service interworking. One such switch is manufactured and sold by Newbridge Network Corporation and has a product number of 36170.
Many standards have been generated to regulate and unify data transportation via network switches. One such standard for frame relay to ATM protocol conversion is RFC 1483. The RFC 2483 standard provides a finite set of frame relay data transport protocols that can be converted to an ATM data transport protocol. As such, a problem arises when the frame relay data transport protocol being supported by an end-point switch is not listed in the RFC 1483 standard. As such, a communication, or switched virtual call (i.e., a communication between network switches), using a frame relay interface not specified in the standard cannot be supported by an ATM back bone.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that provides a comprehensive service when frame relay to frame relay communications, or switch virtual calls, are used with any type of frame relay protocol without compromising frame relay to ATM switch virtual calls, or communications.